Car coupler



J. W. SMITH Oct. 11,1927.

CAR COUPLER Filed Dec. 27, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORINEY J. W. SMITH Oct. 11, 1927.

CAR COUPLER 2 Sheets-Shea 2 Filed Dec. 2'7, 1926- Patented Oct. 11, 1927.

UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GAR COUPLER.

Application filed December This invention relates to a car coupler of the type forming the subject matter of a patent granted to me on July 6, 1926, No. 1,591,789, an object of this invention being to so construct the parts that they will be more accessible for repair and other purposes and also to make the coupler of great strength by eliminating pivot pins.

Another object of the invention is to place the sliding member which is engaged by the knuckle member in a chamber which is so formed as to limit the rearward movement 5f said sliding member and thereby prevent damage to the parts when two cars come together with great force. A further object of the invention is to so arrange the parts that two cars can be uncoupled without dificult-y by the snnple upward movement of a locking member and without requiring the cars to be moved toward each other to take strain from the knuckles as is necessary in couplings where pins are used to lock the knuckles in coupling position.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and 0 specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Fi ure l is a plan view of the improved coup er.

Figure 2' is a side View with parts broken away.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view. Figure 4: is a vertical sectional view. Figure 5 is a section on line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the sliding member.

Figure 7 is a View of the locking member or bolt.

In these views, 1 indicates the draw bar 27, 1926. Serial No. 157,262.

and 2 indicates the head thereof. This draw a recess 10 in its top adjacent its front end 00 for receiving the cam 8 so that movement-of the knuckle will be communicated to the member 9 through meansof the cam. A

' coiled spring 11 is arranged in a groove 12 formed in the bottom of the chamber 3 and engages a projection 13 formed on the bot-- tom of the member 9, said spring tending to hold the member in its forward position with the knuckle in open position. The member 9'is also provided with a lip 14: for engaging a notch 15 formed in the head at the mouth of the chamber 8- so that the end of the member 9 will make a snug fit with the outer end of the head and thus permit the knuckle of an opposing head to slide over the end of the member 9 without difiiculty whentwo cars are being coupled together.

A bolt or looking member 16 is provided with the side projections 17 at its front end for engaging the socket 18 in the inner end of the member 9 when the bolt 16 is placed in the passage 5 so that the said bolt is pivotally connected with the member and has limited rocking movement in the draw bar. The'head of the bolt, at the rear end thereof, extends into the chamber 4 and the said head is provided wit-h a shoulder 19 for engaging a shoulder 20 formed by a portion of the front wall of the chamber 4 which holds the bolt and member 9 in retracted position, as shown in Figure 4. A beveled part 21 is formed on the top of the bolt adjacent the rear end thereof and the said rear end isrounded, as at 22. substantially angle shape, has its head 24r fitting in the chamber 4, with the shank of the arm depending from the draw bar, the arm being pivoted to the draw. bar by the bolt 25,

The 55 A locking arm 23, of

its spring'26 fastened to the bolt and engaging the rear of the head 24, tending to hold the head in its forward position with its u per lip 27 engaging the upper portion of t 10 rear end of the bolt to hold the bolt in its locking position, as shown in Figure 4E. The lower lip 28 of the head 24; will engage the bottom edge of the bolt when the locking arm is moved upwardly so as to shove the bolt upwardly and thus free the shoulder 19 from the shoulder 20 and permit the spring 11 to throw the parts forwardly, as shown in Figure 2. The head 24 is provided with a passage 29 to receive the extremity of the bolt when the parts are in locked position, as shown in Figure 4. The lower end of the arm 23 is provided with an elongated slot 30 so that an operating rodor the like can be passed through the same to permit the arm to be moved from either side of the car and thus render it unnecessary for a trainman to pass between two cars to work the coupling.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the use of pivot pins between the knuckle and the member 9 and between the member 9 and the bolt 16 is eliminated, as these parts are connected together by the recesses and enlargements. As the knuckle is held in closed position by the bolt 16 which is pivoted to the sliding member 9, it will be seen that no matter how much the coupling on one car is pressing against the coupling of another car, the knuckles can be released so that the cars can be drawn apart as it is simply necessary to press upwardly one of the arms 23 so as to push the bolt 16 upwardly to free the same from the shoulder 20 when the knuckles will be released and they can open as the cars move apart. As is well known, when pins are used to lock the knuckles in closed position, the engine must be backed to move the knuckles sufliciently to remove strain from the locking pins before the said pins can be withdrawn so that this additional movement of a train of cars rendered unnecessary by my invention. It will also be seen that the end of the chamber 8 forms a stop for the member 9 so that there is no danger of the parts being damaged if two cars come together with great force too great a movement of the member 9. It will also be seen that by removing the knuckle by withdrawing its pin, the member 9 and the bolt 16 can be withdrawn from the draw bar so that the parts can be repaired or inspected and the locking arm can also be easi- 1y removed by withdrawing its pivotal bolt 25. Thus the parts are easily accessible for repair and other purposes.

Attention is called to the fact that the bolt 16 will automatically lock itself when the knuckle moves to closed position as it will not only drop into locking position by gravity but it will also be assisted in moving into this position by the lip 27 engaging the rounded end of the bolt and acting as guiding means for the same and the pressure of spring 26 will cause the lip 27 to press the bolt into locking position.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 2 1. A car coupler comprising a hollow draw bar, a knuckle pivoted to the draw bar, a member slidably mounted in the draw bar and having a socket therein, a cam on the knuckle engaging the socket so that movement of the knuckle will be communicated to the member, a bolt pivotally connected with the inner end of the member and hav ing a part engaging an inner wall of the draw bar and an actuating member for moving the bolt to releasing position.

2. A car coupler comprising a hollow draw bar, a knuckle pivoted to the head of the draw bar, and having a cam thereon, a member slidably mounted in the draw bar and having a socket therein for receiving the earn, the inner end of the said member having an open socket, a bolt in the draw bar having projections on its front end en-- gaging the open socket so that the bolt is pivotally connected with the member, said bolt having a part engaging an inner wall of the draw bar and actuating means for the bolt to move the same to releasing position.

3. A car coupler comprising a draw bar having a chamber therein opening out through the head of the bar and a second chamber opening out through the bottom of the bar with a passage connecting the two chambers together, a knuckle pivoted to the head of the draw bar and having a cam thereon, a member slid-ably mounted in the first chamber and having a socket for receiving the cam and a socket in its inner end, a bolt having an enlargement at one end for engaging the socket in the inner end of the member, the other end of the bolt having a shoulder for engaging a part of the front wall of the second chamber, a locking arm pivoted to the draw bar and having a head in the second chamber and said head having lips thereon for engaging the upper and lower edges of the rear part of the bolt,

i. A car coupler comprising adraw bar having a chamber therein opening out through the head of the bar and a second chamber opening out through the bottom of the bar with a passage connecting the two chambers together, a knuckle pivoted to the head of the draw bar and having a cam thereon, a member slidably mounted in the first chamber and having a socket .for receiving the cam and a socket in its inner end, a bolt having an enlargement at one end for engaging the socket in the inner end of the member, the other end of the bolt having a shoulder for engaging a part of the front wall of the second chamber, a looking arm pivoted to the draw bar and having a head in the second chamber, said head having lips thereon for engaging the upper 10 and lower edges of the rear part of the bolt, a spring for pressing the member in the first chamber forwardly and a second spring for holding the I locking arm with its head in the forward part of the second chamber.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN W. SMITH. 

